Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

Israeli Defense Minister: The military will remain in the "security zones" of Lebanon, Syria and Gaza as long as necessary.

Israeli Defense Minister Katz said the military will remain in the "security zones" in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza as long as necessary. He added that despite pressure to withdraw troops, Israel opposes pulling out of the "security zone" in Lebanon, noting that Israel will not withdraw its forces.

6 minutes ago

Viewpoint: The U.S. stock market’s unheralded plunge was possibly triggered by leveraged ETFs and AI-related uncertainty.

U.S. equities opened higher then slid lower tonight. With no major breaking news, the Nasdaq 100 dropped 1,000 points in just 27 minutes, the S&P 500 erased $1 trillion in market capitalization, and quickly swung from +1% to -3% after the opening bell. Reviewing pre-market indicators, U.S. PCE inflation rose to 4.1%—its highest level since April 2023—paired with Apple’s announcement of up to 25% price hikes for Mac and iPad amid surging AI chip costs, which sent Apple’s stock plummeting nearly 6% and erasing $220 billion in market cap, sparking panic selling. Yet these developments alone do not appear to explain such a rapid, sharp market decline. The Kobeissi Letter attributes the heightened volatility to widespread leveraged ETFs, AI-related uncertainty, and massive liquidations in the crypto market, and forecasts that market volatility will persist.

6 minutes ago

A crypto whale allocated $8 million to Hyperliquid to open a 20x leveraged long position on Bitcoin.

According to monitoring by Onchain Lens, a crypto whale has allegedly created two new addresses and allocated $8 million to Hyperliquid via these addresses to open a 20x leveraged long position on 400 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $23.5 million.

6 minutes ago

A prominent law firm has launched an investigation into MicroStrategy and Michael Saylor, and may file a class-action lawsuit.

Rosen Law Firm has launched an investigation into Strategy Inc, led by Michael Saylor, over potential securities law violations, possibly tied to misleading disclosures about the firm’s Bitcoin investment strategy. The investigation notice encourages affected shareholders to consult with the firm’s team, as it is reviewing whether Strategy Inc issued materially misleading business information; such actions are common when seeking to initiate class-action lawsuits.

6 minutes ago

Story has been renamed the DATA Foundation, and its native IP token will be migrated to the new DATA token at a 1:1 ratio.

Story, a project focused on on-chain intellectual property infrastructure, has been renamed DATA Foundation, shifting its business focus to AI training data and launching the on-chain data registration and auditing platform Trace. Story’s native IP tokens will be migrated 1:1 to the new DATA tokens, with holders not required to take any action; specific timelines and guidelines will be announced later. DATA also announced deep integration with AI training data marketplace Kled, bringing over 1.5 billion user-contributed data entries onto the DATA network. Via Trace, each data contribution generates an on-chain receipt that records data source, authorization method, contributor consent, and payment details, supporting settlement to contributors in stablecoins or fiat currency.

6 minutes ago

Stablecoin apxUSD, backed by STRC, has depegged and dropped below $0.8.

According to market data, Apyx Finance’s stablecoin apxUSD, backed by STRC, has depegged and is now trading at $0.7804. A similar depegging incident occurred with apxUSD on June 4.

6 minutes ago

Table of contents

Gate, a renowned crypto exchange and digital asset service entity, has unveiled a unique USD network with the upgradation of its fundamental services, Gate Exchange and Gate Pay. The exclusive initiative attempts to develop an inclusive financial setting, permitting its users to manage USD assets, tackle fund transactions, and perform digital asset transfers via just one platform. As per Gate’s official press release, the development enhances connections between crypto services, payment solutions, and USD management. Thus, the move endeavors to provide a relatively convenient and effective financial experience to the users.

Gate Upgrades Exchange and Pay Services for Seamless Digital Asset and Fiat Management The rollout of the latest USD network with advancement of Gate’s Exchange and Pay services fortifies its approach toward the delivery of inclusive asset management options for users. The launch aims to enhance the USD fund utility’s full lifecycle, permitting clients to seamlessly manage deposits, transfers, withdrawals, and transactions within a single connected network.

Amid the growing demand for USD-powered financial services, consumers increasingly prioritize solutions that remove the requirement to shift capital between platforms or accounts. Addressing this, the updated infrastructure of Gate integrates different financial capabilities into a comprehensive system for more convenient asset accessibility and control. After this upgrade, consumers can effectively update their Gate app to its version 8.24.0 and reach improved USD management functions.

Apart from that, the updated framework lets consumers make direct USD deposits, maintain their USD balances, withdraw capital, sell cryptocurrencies, and buy digital assets. They can do all this without the need to quit the platform. Additionally, the latest USD Account feature delivers a devoted space to manage USD holdings along with backing seamless shifts between digital assets and fiat.

Gate Pay Adds SWIFT USD Transfers In addition to the launch of the USD ecosystem, Gate Pay has also obtained a product design update to enhance usability and navigation. The new version unveils a clearer structure, enhanced operational flows, and a relatively consistent interface for financial activity management. At the same time, consumers can now use SWIFT bank wire transactions for USD deposits alongside direct bank withdrawals. Ultimately, with the merger of the payment services, USD asset management instruments, and trading functionality, Gate is presenting a relatively connected and comprehensive financial experience.

AUTHOR

Umair Younas is a cryptocurrency-related content writer linked with this work since 2019. Here, at Blockchainreporter, he serves as a news and article writer. He is a crypto, blockchain, NFTs, DeFi, and FinTech enthusiast. He has strong command over writing authentic reviews about brokers and exchanges and he has collaborated with our education team to write educational content as well. He has a dream to raise awareness among people about digital currencies. His works are well-researched and brimmed with information hence they provide fresh insights. Stay tuned to his posts if you want to stay up-to-date with the crypto-verse.

Investors interested in Aerospace stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has Curtiss-Wright (CW - Free Report) been one of those stocks this year? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Aerospace peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Curtiss-Wright is one of 67 companies in the Aerospace group. The Aerospace group currently sits at #2 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups.

The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the market over the next one to three months. Curtiss-Wright is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CW's full-year earnings has moved 0.9% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.

Our latest available data shows that CW has returned about 38.4% since the start of the calendar year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Aerospace group have gained about 2.9% on average. This means that Curtiss-Wright is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

One other Aerospace stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Outdoor Holding Company (POWW - Free Report) . The stock is up 36.8% year-to-date.

For Outdoor Holding Company, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 80% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Looking more specifically, Curtiss-Wright belongs to the Aerospace - Defense Equipment industry, a group that includes 37 individual stocks and currently sits at #60 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 10.9% so far this year, so CW is performing better in this area. Outdoor Holding Company is also part of the same industry.

Investors with an interest in Aerospace stocks should continue to track Curtiss-Wright and Outdoor Holding Company. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.

Here at Zacks, we focus on our proven ranking system, which places an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, to find winning stocks. But we also understand that investors develop their own strategies, so we are constantly looking at the latest trends in value, growth, and momentum to find strong companies for our readers.

Considering these trends, value investing is clearly one of the most preferred ways to find strong stocks in any type of market. Value investors use fundamental analysis and traditional valuation metrics to find stocks that they believe are being undervalued by the market at large.

Zacks has developed the innovative Style Scores system to highlight stocks with specific traits. For example, value investors will be interested in stocks with great grades in the "Value" category. When paired with a high Zacks Rank, "A" grades in the Value category are among the strongest value stocks on the market today.

One stock to keep an eye on is FactSet Research Systems (FDS - Free Report) . FDS is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock is trading with a P/E ratio of 15.56, which compares to its industry's average of 18.27. Over the past 52 weeks, FDS's Forward P/E has been as high as 28.30 and as low as 15.56, with a median of 25.38.

Value investors also use the P/S ratio. The P/S ratio is calculated as price divided by sales. This is a popular metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement, so they are often considered a better performance indicator. FDS has a P/S ratio of 3.28. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 3.4.

Finally, investors will want to recognize that FDS has a P/CF ratio of 14.04. This data point considers a firm's operating cash flow and is frequently used to find companies that are undervalued when considering their solid cash outlook. FDS's P/CF compares to its industry's average P/CF of 20.37. Over the past year, FDS's P/CF has been as high as 27.56 and as low as 14.04, with a median of 24.72.

These figures are just a handful of the metrics value investors tend to look at, but they help show that FactSet Research Systems is likely being undervalued right now. Considering this, as well as the strength of its earnings outlook, FDS feels like a great value stock at the moment.

Key Takeaways RKT climbed 9.4% yesterday as the landmark housing bill has moved one step closer to becoming a law.PFSI could benefit from diversified production channels and a sizable mortgage servicing platform.LDI may see operating leverage if purchase mortgage demand boosts, though mortgage rates remain a key factor. A landmark bipartisan affordable housing bill has moved one step closer to becoming a law after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the legislation and sent it to President Donald Trump for final approval. This has put the spotlight back on the housing market. While home builders may be the most direct beneficiaries, the mortgage finance industry could also see meaningful second-order benefits if the bill helps unlock housing supply and stimulate transaction volumes.

This makes mortgage-focused stocks such as Rocket Companies (RKT - Free Report) , PennyMac Financial Services (PFSI - Free Report) and loanDepot (LDI - Free Report) worth watching. Shares of RKT jumped 9.4% yesterday, while PFSI and LDI gained 3.9% and 5.3%, respectively.

A Closer Look at the Housing Reform BillThe U.S. housing market has faced a persistent shortage of affordable homes for more than a decade. High mortgage rates, rising construction costs, restrictive zoning rules and lengthy permitting processes have made homeownership increasingly difficult.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is a bipartisan housing reform package designed to boost housing supply, improve affordability, modernize federal housing programs and expand access to homeownership.

It focuses on removing barriers that slow residential construction, encouraging local zoning and land-use reforms, expanding financing for affordable housing and supporting manufactured and modular housing. It also seeks to update long-standing programs such as the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and provide communities with new tools to plan and build more homes. Another key provision aims to curb large institutional investors and private equity firms from buying single-family homes, a trend that has raised concerns about reduced affordability for individual buyers.

RKT, PFSI & LDI: How Mortgage Stocks Could BenefitMortgage companies generate revenues from several key areas, including loan originations, mortgage servicing rights, refinancing activity and related home-financing services. When housing transactions rise, lenders typically benefit from higher application volumes, stronger purchase mortgage demand and improved fee income.

If the proposed housing bill succeeds in increasing housing inventory, improving affordability and encouraging more home purchases, mortgage-focused companies such as Rocket Companies, PennyMac Financial Services and loanDepot could see a meaningful improvement in their financials.

Rocket Companies could be one of the more visible beneficiaries due to its scale, strong consumer brand and digital-first mortgage platform. The company has invested heavily in technology, automation and customer acquisition, which may allow it to capture demand efficiently if homebuying activity improves.

PennyMac Financial Services appears comparatively well-positioned because of its diversified mortgage production channels, strong correspondent lending business and sizable servicing platform. Its servicing operations can provide more stable revenues during periods of origination weakness, while its production business could benefit if purchase activity accelerates. This balanced model may give PennyMac Financial Services more resilience than lenders that rely more heavily on direct-to-consumer originations.

loanDepot, meanwhile, may offer higher upside potential if mortgage volumes rebound. Because the company has been more pressured by weak origination activity, any recovery in purchase demand could create operating leverage and improve profitability.

Still, interest rates remain the key variable for the mortgage stocks. A housing bill may help address supply constraints, but mortgage demand will likely need lower borrowing costs, stable home prices and stronger consumer confidence to recover meaningfully. If rates remain elevated, the benefit from increased housing supply could be limited.

Final Words on Housing Bill ReformThe housing bill should be viewed as a potential structural tailwind rather than an immediate earnings catalyst for mortgage stocks. Its impact will depend on whether housing supply improves meaningfully and whether rate conditions become more favorable.

Overall, the legislation could help set the stage for a gradual recovery in mortgage activity. For investors, RKT, PFSI and LDI remain important stocks to watch as the housing market moves from rate-driven weakness toward possible supply-supported normalization.

 With Google Cloud's agentic defense solutions, Jack Henry bolsters its enterprise security and helps protect community institutions against emerging cyber threats

, /PRNewswire/ -- Jack Henry® (Nasdaq: JKHY) and Google Cloud today announced an expanded collaboration to deliver AI-driven security capabilities for banks and credit unions. Building on their strategic relationship established in 2022, Jack Henry will use Google Cloud's suite of agentic defense products to develop a proprietary AI security platform purpose-built for the financial services ecosystem. This initiative will strengthen cyber resilience for financial institutions and help them defend against emerging threats while improving operational efficiency.

Approximately 7,400 community banks and credit unions across the United States depend on Jack Henry for a wide array of banking, payments, lending, and operational solutions. As modern security threats grow increasingly complex with the rise of adversarial AI, these institutions require leading-edge defense mechanisms layered across their entire technology suite.

Jack Henry's enhanced, security-first platform is explicitly designed to address the strict compliance, regulatory, and security requirements of community financial institutions. By proactively identifying and mitigating emerging, AI-driven cyber threats, its architecture reinforces security across Jack Henry's entire operational environment – spanning Google Cloud, other cloud providers, and on-premises physical infrastructures.

"Combining our financial services expertise with Google Cloud's agentic defense capabilities enables us to help financial institutions proactively strengthen their defense against increasingly sophisticated threats," said Jack Henry President and CEO Greg Adelson. "Security has always been foundational to our platform, and this collaboration extends those capabilities further. By automating the analysis of large volumes of telemetry data, we can identify potential threats earlier and enable faster, coordinated responses before vulnerabilities are exploited."

AI is the top investment priority for financial institutions, according to Jack Henry's Strategy Benchmark survey of bank and credit union CEOs. Institutions are increasingly focused on AI to drive efficiency, improve risk-based decision-making, and enhance client experiences. This trend reinforces the industry's need for practical, secure AI capabilities that deliver value while meeting the requirements of highly regulated environments.

"Agentic AI workflows represent a transformative capability for financial services, but widespread adoption depends on trust," said Francis deSouza, chief operating officer, Google Cloud and president, Security Products. "Jack Henry is combining Google Cloud's agentic defense, Mandiant Consulting's deep cybersecurity expertise, and Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform to deliver secure-by-design AI. This empowers financial institutions to unlock measurable efficiency while strengthening resilience."
In tandem with these security advancements, Jack Henry is leveraging Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, Google Cloud's AI platform, to develop and deploy a growing set of high-impact operational use cases, enabling its employees and financial services clients to:

Support customer service teams: Leverage AI-assisted tools to improve the speed and consistency of support and issue resolution. Enhance insights and reporting: Utilize advanced analytics to drive more informed, data-driven decision-making. Optimize daily operations: Automate routine administrative tasks, with early adopters reporting time savings of up to 70%. "We are utilizing AI in a bold and balanced way, unlocking its potential while maintaining the strong security, governance, and human oversight required in financial services," said Jack Henry Chief Operating Officer Shanon McLachlan. "We are prioritizing practical, high-impact use cases – from strengthening cyber resilience to automating back-office processes – to enable institutions to operate more efficiently, scale their teams, and continue delivering the high-touch service that sets them apart."

About Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.®

Jack Henry® (Nasdaq: JKHY) is a well-rounded financial technology company that strengthens connections between financial institutions and the people and businesses they serve. We are an S&P 500 company that prioritizes openness, collaboration, and user centricity – offering banks and credit unions a vibrant ecosystem of internally developed modern capabilities as well as the ability to integrate with leading fintechs. For 50 years, Jack Henry has provided technology solutions to enable clients to innovate faster, strategically differentiate, and successfully compete while serving the evolving needs of their accountholders. We empower approximately 7,400 clients with people-inspired innovation, personal service, and insight-driven solutions that help reduce the barriers to financial health. Additional information is available at www.jackhenry.com.

About Google Cloud

Google Cloud offers a powerful, optimized AI stack—including AI infrastructure, leading models like Gemini, data management capabilities, multicloud security solutions, developer tools and platform, as well as agents and applications—that enables organizations to transform their business for the Agentic Era. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner.

SOURCE Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.

Key Takeaways CBOE Global Markets and Tutor Perini passed a low-leverage stock screen.CBOE launched Cboe Predicts, while Tutor Perini secured a $114 million Ole Miss project contract.Casey's unveiled a three-year plan targeting 400 added stores through acquisitions and development. Wall Street finished June 24, 2026, on a mixed note, as investors actively rotated out of high-flying technology stocks to find support in cyclical and consumer discretionary sectors. This rotation caused the tech-heavy Nasdaq and the benchmark S&P 500 to pull back, while the broad-based Dow Jones Industrial Average managed to inch higher.

While concerns surrounding overvalued tech companies triggered the localized sell-off, energy investors found unexpected relief in a steady decline in oil prices. Crude benchmarks plummeted to their lowest levels since February-end, before the United States and Israel launched joint airstrikes against Iran. 

However, this newfound stability in energy prices is unlikely to persist for long, given the structural geopolitical tensions still simmering across the globe. 

Against this volatile landscape, turning to financially resilient companies, particularly those with low leverage, is a necessity right now.

These fiscally conservative companies are better positioned to navigate interest rate fluctuations and geopolitical uncertainty. By providing a stable foundation in a shifting market, they can serve as a strategic hedge against a potential energy-driven economic slowdown.

We recommend low-leverage stocks, such as Ternium (TX - Free Report) , CBOE Global Markets (CBOE - Free Report) , Tutor Perini (TPC - Free Report) , Sunstone Hotel Investors (SHO - Free Report) and Casey’s General Stores (CASY - Free Report) . 

Before selecting low-leverage stocks, it is important to understand what leverage is and how investing in low-leverage companies can benefit investors.

What’s the Significance of Low-Leverage Stocks?In finance, leverage refers to the use of borrowed capital to support business operations and drive expansion. Companies typically raise such funds through debt financing, although equity financing remains an alternative. However, firms often prefer debt due to its relatively lower cost and easier availability compared to issuing equity.

Debt financing comes with inherent risks and is beneficial only when it generates returns that exceed the cost of borrowing. To limit downside risk, investors should be cautious of companies that rely excessively on debt. Prudent investing involves selecting businesses with manageable leverage, as completely debt-free companies are rare.

The equity market can be volatile at times. As an investor, if you want to avoid significant losses, we suggest focusing on stocks with low leverage, which are generally deemed less risky.

To identify such stocks, several leverage ratios have historically been developed to measure the amount of debt a company carries. The debt-to-equity ratio is among the most widely used financial ratios.

Analyzing Debt/EquityDebt-to-Equity Ratio = Total Liabilities/Shareholders’ Equity

This metric is a liquidity ratio that indicates the amount of financial risk a company bears. A lower debt-to-equity ratio suggests improved solvency for a company.

With the second-quarter 2026 earnings season ahead of us, investors should focus on stocks that have demonstrated solid earnings growth in recent periods.

If a stock carries a high debt-to-equity ratio during an economic downturn, its seemingly strong earnings could quickly turn into a nightmare.

The Winning StrategyConsidering the aforementioned factors, it would be prudent to choose stocks with a low debt-to-equity ratio to ensure steady returns.

Yet, an investment strategy based solely on the debt-to-equity ratio might not fetch the desired outcome. To select stocks with the potential to provide steady returns, we have expanded our screening criteria to include additional factors.

Other Parameters:

Debt/Equity Less Than X-Industry Median: Stocks that are less leveraged than their industry peers.

Current Price Greater Than or Equal to 10: The stocks must be trading at $10 or higher.

Average 20-day Volume Greater Than or Equal to 50000: A substantial trading volume ensures that the stock is easily tradable.

Percentage Change in EPS F(0)/F(-1) Greater Than X-Industry Median: Earnings growth adds to optimism, leading to a stock’s price appreciation.

VGM Score of A or B: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy), offer the best upside potential.

Estimated One-Year EPS Growth F (1)/F(0) Greater Than 5: This shows earnings growth expectations.

Zacks Rank #1 or 2: Irrespective of market conditions, stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 have a proven history of success.

Excluding stocks that have a negative or a zero debt-to-equity ratio, we present our five picks out of the 12 that made it through the screen.

Ternium: It is the leading producer of flat and long steel products of Latin America and consolidates the operations of the steel companies like Hylsa in Mexico, Siderar in Argentina and Sidor in Venezuela. 

On May 5, 2026, the company announced its first-quarter 2026 results. Its earnings per ADS improved a massive 220.6% to $1.09. Ternium invested $406 million in the first quarter, primarily for the expansion of its industrial center in Pesquería, Mexico.   

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TX’s 2026 sales indicates an improvement of 6.1% from the prior-year reported level. The stock boasts a long-term (three-to-five year) earnings growth rate of 52.80%. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.

CBOE Global Markets: It is the world's go-to derivatives and exchange network, delivering cutting-edge trading, clearing and investment solutions to people around the world. On June 23, 2026, CBOE announced the launch of the first products in its new prediction markets suite, Cboe Predicts. Cboe Predicts represents the latest expansion of CBOE’s S&P 500 Index (SPX) product suite.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CBOE’s 2026 revenues indicates an improvement of 13.1% from the prior-year reported actuals. The stock boasts a long-term earnings growth rate of 16.80%. CBOE currently sports a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Tutor Perini: It is a diversified general contracting, construction management and design-build services provider to private clients and public agencies worldwide. On June 9, 2026, Tutor Perini announced that its subsidiary, Roy Anderson Corp, has won a contract worth approximately $114 million for the Jones Hall Project at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Oxford, MS. Per the terms of this project, TPC will construct a new four-story, approximately 110,000-square-foot academic facility that will serve as the home of the nationally recognized Patterson School of Accountancy. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TPC’s 2026 revenues indicates an improvement of 12.7% from the prior-year reported number. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TPC’s 2026 earnings indicates an improvement of 20.8% from the prior-year reported number. It currently holds a Zacks Rank #2.

Sunstone Hotel Investors: It is a lodging real estate company that owns hotels primarily in the upper-upscale and upscale segments, primarily operated under franchises owned nationally-recognized companies, such as Marriott, Hilton, InterContinental and Hyatt. 

On June 23, 2026, Sunstone Hotel Investors reported that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell the 821-room Hyatt Regency San Francisco hotel to funds affiliated with Blackstone Real Estate for a gross sale price of $279 million. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SHO’s 2026 revenues indicates an improvement of 4.5% from the prior-year reported actuals. The stock boasts a long-term earnings growth rate of 4.90%. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.

Casey’s General Stores: It is a chain of convenience stores that operates across 19 states of the United States. On June 24, 2026, the company unveiled its new three-year strategic plan, which focused on expanding CASY’s food business, growing its store base, and leveraging technology to improve efficiency and execution. In particular, the company plans to add at least 400 stores through a combination of strategic acquisitions and new-store development. 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CASY’s fiscal 2027 revenues suggests an improvement of 16.2% from the year-ago reported level. The stock boasts a long-term earnings growth rate of 15.80%. It currently sports a Zacks Rank #1.

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.

Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? Developed alongside the Zacks Rank, the Zacks Style Scores are a group of complementary indicators that help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum investors, who live by the saying "the trend is your friend," are most interested in taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook. Utilizing one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates, among other factors, the Momentum Style Score can help determine favorable times to buy high-momentum stocks.

VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +24% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Reinsurance Group (RGA - Free Report) Formed in 1992 in Timberlake, MO, Reinsurance Group of America Inc. is a leading global provider of traditional life and health reinsurance and financial solutions with operations in the United States, Latin America, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.

RGA is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Momentum investors should take note of this Finance stock. RGA has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 0.5% over the past four weeks.

Three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.61 to $26.88 per share. RGA boasts an average earnings surprise of +9.8%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, RGA should be on investors' short list.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Helen of Troy Limited ("Helen of Troy" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: HELE). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

The class action concerns whether Helen of Troy and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

You have until August 3, 2026, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Helen of Troy securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On July 9, 2024, Helen of Troy announced its 2025 first quarter results, allegedly reflecting a 49% decrease in earnings per share year-over year and reducing its full year revenue outlook by more than 20%.

On this news, Helen of Troy's stock price fell nearly 28%.

Then, on July 10, 2025, Helen of Troy announced its 2026 first quarter results, allegedly reflecting a net sales decline of 11% year-over-year and a nearly 60% decline in adjusted earnings per share. The Company also announced a $414.4 million goodwill impairment. On this news, Helen of Troy's stock price fell nearly 23%.

Finally, on October 9, 2025, Helen of Troy announced its 2026 second quarter results, allegedly revealing that quarterly sales were down 8.9% year-over-year, adjusted earnings per share fell 51%, and business disruptions and cost headwinds would continue throughout the remainder of the year.

On this news, Helen of Troy's stock price fell 25%.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:
Danielle Peyton
Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]
646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

, /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Doximity, Inc. ("Doximity" or the "Company") (NYSE: DOCS).  Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether Doximity and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. 

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On May 13, 2026, Doximity issued a press release announcing its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2026 financial results.  Among other items, Doximity guided for full-year revenue in the range of $664 million to $676 million, compared to estimates of $687.04 million, and adjusted EBITDA of $323 million to $335 million.  Doximity's management highlighted AI cost pressure, with the Company's vice president of investor relations citing gross margin impact "driven by AI compute costs" and CEO Jeff Tangney warning that higher AI investment will "weigh on near-term margins." 

On this news, Doximity's stock price fell $5.38 per share, or 23%, to close at $18.01 per share on May 14, 2026.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. 

CONTACT:
Danielle Peyton
Pomerantz LLP
[email protected]
646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP

Key Takeaways HubSpot grew customers 16% year over year to 299,458 after adding 10,800 net new customers in Q1 2026.HUBS saw larger ARR deals rise, more multi-Hub adoption and pricing changes support customer growth.HubSpot expanded Breeze AI, with Core Seat users up 90% and over 25% of Pro customers buying more seats. HubSpot, Inc. (HUBS - Free Report) is witnessing solid customer growth across its customer relationship management platform. The company added 10,800 net new customers during first-quarter 2026, increasing the total customer count 16% year over year to 299,458.

There are several factors driving this customer growth. Larger enterprises are increasingly adopting HubSpot to consolidate customer-facing operations. Deals above $60,000 in annual recurring revenues (“ARR”) increased 37% year over year, while deals above $120,000 ARR surged 64%, reflecting improving traction in the upmarket segment. Instead of buying only Marketing Hub, customers are purchasing multiple Hubs together.

63% of new Pro+ customers purchased multiple Hubs, up 3% year over year. Having one unified connected platform that combines marketing, sales and service data supports AI models with complete information and helps enterprises to streamline workflows and boost their competitive edge. Having one integrated platform instead of several disconnected tools also lowers the total cost of ownership and improves efficiency.

The company’s pricing optimization strategy, implemented in 2024, continues to support customer acquisition. This has lowered entry pricing and removed minimum seat requirements. HUBS strong partner ecosystem is another major client acquisition engine.

HubSpot’s AI strategy is increasingly contributing to customer engagement and monetization. The company continues to expand Breeze AI capabilities across its customer platform through AI assistants, agents and automation tools. Active Core Seat users increased 90% year over year during first-quarter 2026, while more than 25% of Pro+ customers purchased additional Core Seats.

How Are Competitors Faring?In the CRM space, HubSpot faces competition from Salesforce, Inc. (CRM - Free Report) , one of the world’s leading Customer Relationship Management companies. More than 150,000 customers leverage Salesforce solutions to drive results across sales, service and marketing operations. Salesforce’s on-demand model supports standardized deployments, frequent updates and lower ownership costs for customers. The company continues to benefit as enterprises modernize customer-facing processes and reduce vendor sprawl.

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT - Free Report) is also seeing healthy demand trends in the Productivity & Business Processes segment, which includes the Office and Dynamics CRM businesses. The company's artificial intelligence capabilities are translating into tangible commercial success, with Microsoft Copilot now deployed across more than 20 million paid Microsoft 365 Copilot seats and growing adoption across productivity, coding, and security applications. Microsoft 365 Copilot paid seats now exceed 20 million. The number of customers with more than 50,000 seats quadrupled year over year, with Accenture representing the largest Copilot win to date with over 740,000 seats. Bayer, Johnson & Johnson, Mercedes and Roche each committed to 90,000 or more seats.

HUBS’ Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesHubSpot has declined 66.7% over the past year compared to the industry’s decline of 21.7%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Going by the price/book ratio, the company's shares currently trade at 4.66 book value, higher than 4.27 of the industry average.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

HUBS’ earnings estimates for 2026 and 2027 have improved over the past 60 days.
 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

HubSpot currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Key Takeaways VKTX began a phase I study of VK3019 to assess safety, PK, PD and tolerability in healthy volunteers.Viking Therapeutics says VK3019 targets amylin and calcitonin receptors, expanding its obesity pipeline.VKTX expects SC maintenance data for VK2735 in Q3 2026, with oral maintenance data due in first-half 2027. Shares of Viking Therapeutics (VKTX - Free Report) rose about 9% on Wednesday after the company expanded its obesity pipeline by advancing a second drug candidate into clinical development.

The biotech initiated a phase I single-ascending-dose (SAD) study evaluating VK3019, an investigational dual amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist (DACRA), marking the candidate’s first evaluation in humans. The purpose of the study is to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of single subcutaneous doses of VK3019 in healthy individuals.

The study initiation represents a significant milestone for Viking Therapeutics, diversifying its obesity pipeline beyond its lead candidate, VK2735.

Unlike VK2735, which targets GLP-1 and GIP receptors, VK3019 is designed to activate amylin and calcitonin receptors. The company believes therapies targeting these receptors could potentially be used either as standalone treatments or in combination with GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP-based therapies to improve weight-loss induction and support longer-term weight management.

Viking Therapeutics also highlighted encouraging preclinical data supporting the program, which showed that DACRAs reduced food intake in lean rats within 72 hours of a single dose and lowered body weight by up to 8% compared with controls. The compounds also demonstrated favorable metabolic effects in diet-induced obese mice.

Beyond reducing pipeline concentration risk, the addition of VK3019 could strengthen Viking's strategic value as a potential acquisition or partnership target for larger pharmaceutical/biotech companies looking to expand their obesity portfolios.

VKTX Stock’s PerformanceYear to date, the company’s shares have gained nearly 8% compared with the industry’s 2% growth.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

VK2735 Remains VKTX’s Primary FocusWhile VK3019 broadens Viking Therapeutics' obesity pipeline, VK2735 remains the company's lead obesity candidate and primary value driver. This dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist has delivered encouraging efficacy across both subcutaneous (SC) and oral formulations, positioning it as one of the more promising late-stage obesity therapies currently under development.

The company is currently evaluating the SC formulation of VK2735 in two pivotal phase III studies. While VANQUISH-1 is enrolling obese or overweight adults with at least one weight-related comorbidity but without type II diabetes (T2D), VANQUISH-2 is assessing the drug in obese or overweight adults with T2D. Viking is on track to initiate late-stage studies of the oral formulation of VK2735 later this year.

However, investors are likely to focus more closely on the upcoming data from the ongoing maintenance dosing study. This study is evaluating multiple regimens — including monthly SC, weekly oral and daily oral dosing — to determine whether the weight loss achieved with weekly SC administration can be maintained over the long term. Viking expects to report SC maintenance data in the third quarter of 2026, followed by oral maintenance data in the first half of 2027.

Competition Intensifies in the Obesity SpaceThe obesity market has garnered significant attention in recent years, as both Eli Lilly (LLY - Free Report) and Novo Nordisk (NVO - Free Report) dominate the space with their respective blockbuster obesity drugs, Zepbound and Wegovy. The obesity market in the United States is expected to reach $100 billion by 2030. To capitalize on this opportunity, both companies have expanded manufacturing capacity while continuing to invest heavily in next-generation obesity therapies.

Although competition initially centered on once-weekly injectable therapies, the focus has increasingly shifted toward more convenient oral alternatives. Earlier this year, Novo Nordisk launched an oral version of Wegovy, while Eli Lilly introduced Foundayo, marking a significant step toward improving patient convenience and broadening access to obesity treatment.

The competitive landscape is now evolving beyond traditional GLP-1 therapies. Both companies are advancing next-generation candidates designed to deliver greater efficacy and improved patient convenience through multi-target mechanisms. Among them, Eli Lilly's retatrutide, a triple agonist targeting the GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors, has demonstrated approximately 28% weight loss in late-stage studies—an efficacy level previously associated primarily with bariatric surgery.

Novo Nordisk is advancing its next-generation obesity pipeline. It has submitted a regulatory filing seeking approval of CagriSema injection, a follow-up drug to Wegovy, while another candidate, amycretin, has shown strong weight-loss efficacy in a phase II study and is expected to enter late-stage development soon.

As the competitive landscape shifts toward next-generation obesity therapies with differentiated mechanisms, Viking Therapeutics is broadening its own pipeline. The addition of VK3019 complements VK2735, positioning Viking to compete across multiple therapeutic pathways in the rapidly evolving obesity market.

VKTX’s Zacks RankViking Therapeutics currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Reddit Inc. (RDDT - Free Report) has been one of the most searched-for stocks on Zacks.com lately. So, you might want to look at some of the facts that could shape the stock's performance in the near term.

Shares of this company have returned +4.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.4% change. The Zacks Internet - Software industry, to which Reddit Inc. belongs, has lost 5.9% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?

While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company's business prospects usually make its stock 'trending' and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.

Revisions to Earnings EstimatesHere at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company's future earnings over anything else. That's because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.

Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock's fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.

For the current quarter, Reddit Inc. is expected to post earnings of $0.99 per share, indicating a change of +120% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate remained unchanged over the last 30 days.

For the current fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $4.83 points to a change of +84.4% from the prior year. Over the last 30 days, this estimate has remained unchanged.

For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $6.39 indicates a change of +32.2% from what Reddit Inc. is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has remained unchanged.

With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock's near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Reddit Inc..

The chart below shows the evolution of the company's forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Revenue Growth ForecastWhile earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company's financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn't able to grow its revenues. After all, it's nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it's important to know a company's potential revenue growth.

In the case of Reddit Inc., the consensus sales estimate of $746.89 million for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +49.5%. The $3.25 billion and $4.31 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +47.6% and +32.5%, respectively.

Last Reported Results and Surprise HistoryReddit Inc. reported revenues of $663.41 million in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +69.1%. EPS of $1.01 for the same period compares with $0.13 a year ago.

Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $614.09 million, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +8.03%. The EPS surprise was +62.9%.

The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.

ValuationWithout considering a stock's valuation, no investment decision can be efficient. In predicting a stock's future price performance, it's crucial to determine whether its current price correctly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company's growth prospects.

While comparing the current values of a company's valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S), and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock's price.

The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an A is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.

Reddit Inc. is graded F on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers. Click here to see the values of some of the valuation metrics that have driven this grade.

Bottom LineThe facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it's worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Reddit Inc.. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Semtech (SMTC - Free Report) closed the last trading session at $158.48, gaining 0.8% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $205.25 indicates a 29.5% upside potential.

The average comprises 12 short-term price targets ranging from a low of $175.00 to a high of $230.00, with a standard deviation of $16.62. While the lowest estimate indicates an increase of 10.4% from the current price level, the most optimistic estimate points to a 45.1% upside. More than the range, one should note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.

While the consensus price target is highly sought after by investors, the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable. And investors making investment decisions solely based on this tool would arguably do themselves a disservice.

However, an impressive consensus price target is not the only factor that indicates a potential upside in SMTC. This view is strengthened by the agreement among analysts that the company will report better earnings than what they estimated earlier. Though a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't give any idea as to how much the stock could surge, it has proven effective in predicting an upside.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Here's What You May Not Know About Analysts' Price TargetsAccording to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.

While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?

They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.

However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.

That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.

Why SMTC Could Witness a Solid UpsideAnalysts' growing optimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher, could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. That's because empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current year, six estimates have moved higher over the last 30 days compared to no negative revision. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased 12.9%.

Moreover, SMTC currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much SMTC could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.

The drug and biotech sector is in a recovery mode, after going through a difficult period between 2022 and 2024, backed by strong quarterly results, surging mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity and pipeline and regulatory successes.
Innovation remains a key growth driver, with high-interest areas such as obesity treatments, next-gen oncology drugs, immunology, gene editing, cell therapies and RNA-based medicines drawing strong investor focus. However, the sector continues to face challenges, including pipeline setbacks, looming patent expirations, regulatory uncertainty, drug-pricing pressure and broader macro challenges.

Despite these headwinds, accelerating innovation, the expanding use of artificial intelligence in drug discovery and development, encouraging regulatory and clinical pipeline updates and the resurgence of M&A activity point to a constructive growth outlook for 2026.

Amid the improving backdrop, the Zacks Medical-Drugs industry is showing promising trends backed by a focus on innovation and positive pipeline/regulatory developments. In this scenario, Indivior Pharmaceuticals (INDV - Free Report) , Aurinia Pharmaceuticals (AUPH - Free Report) , Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (IRWD - Free Report) , Altimmune (ALT - Free Report) and Marker Therapeutics (MRKR - Free Report) may prove to be good additions to one’s portfolio.

Industry Description The Zacks Medical-Drugs industry comprises small and some medium-sized drug companies that make medicines. We have a separate industry outlook discussion on big drugmakers. Small drugmakers have a limited portfolio of marketed drugs or no commercial drugs at all. Some drugmakers are dependent on just one marketed drug or pipeline candidate. For such companies, upfront or milestone payments from collaboration partners — in most cases, their larger counterparts — are the main sources of revenues. These companies need ample free cash flow to fund their R&D costs.

Factors Shaping the Future of the Medical-Drugs Industry Pipeline Success: The success or failure of key pipeline candidates in clinical studies can significantly drive the stock price of industry players. Successful innovation and product line extensions in important therapeutic areas and strong clinical study results may act as important catalysts for the stocks.

Innovation is at its peak with key spaces like rare diseases, next-generation oncology treatments, obesity, immunology and neuroscience attracting investor attention.

Strong M&A Activity: These companies regularly seek external partners and collaborators for complementary strengths. A partnership deal with a popular drugmaker is a good sign about the potential of small pharma companies, especially when an equity investment is included in the deal. M&A deals are in full swing in the sector, signaling growth. This year has already seen multiple multi-billion-dollar deals. The trend is shifting more toward smaller and mid-size “bolt-on” strategic acquisitions rather than mega-mergers.

Investment in Technology for Innovation: For smaller companies, succeeding in a shifting global market and evolving healthcare landscape requires adopting innovative business models, investing in new technologies and increasing investments in personalized medicines. Over the past few years, scientific and technological advancements have made it possible to develop personalized therapies. Other than that, adoption and information exchange through the meaningful use of health IT, development of therapies that improve overall patient outcomes and investment in developing and emerging markets are some of the key priorities for drug companies. Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are being used for the rapid advancement of drug discovery and target identification processes.

Pipeline Setbacks: The smaller companies have their share of risk in the form of unstable cash flows. Also, the failure of key pipeline candidates in pivotal studies and regulatory and pipeline delays can be huge setbacks for these smaller companies and significantly hurt their share prices.

Zacks Industry Rank Indicates a Short-Term Gloomy Picture The group’s Zacks Industry Rank is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks.

The Zacks Medical-Drugs industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #149, which places it in the bottom 40% of the 247 Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

Before we present you with a few top-ranked stocks to capitalize on the  prospects of the small and medium-sized drugmakers’ space, let’s take a look at the industry’s recent stock-market performance and the valuation picture.

Industry Versus S&P 500 and Sector The Zacks Medical-Drugs industry is a huge 133-stock group within the broader Medical sector. The industry has outperformed the S&P 500 but underperformed the Zacks Medical sector so far this year.

Stocks in this industry have collectively declined 0.5% so far this year against the Zacks Medical sector’s increase of 1.9%. The Zacks S&P 500 composite has declined 2% in the said time frame.

YTD Price Performance

Industry's Current Valuation Based on the trailing 12 months price-to-sales ratio (P/S TTM), which is a commonly used multiple for valuing these small drugmakers, the industry is currently trading at 2.26, compared with the S&P 500’s 5.94 and the Zacks Medical sector's 2.45.

Over the last five years, the industry has traded as high as 3.36, as low as 2.05 and at the median of 2.49, as the chart below shows. 

Trailing 12-Month Price-to-Sales (P/S) Ratio

5 Drug Stocks to Bet On Indivior Pharmaceuticals: North Chesterfield, VA-based Indivior’s commercial portfolio is anchored by its flagship product, Sublocade, a first-in-class long-acting injectable treatment for moderate-to-severe opioid use disorder, alongside Suboxone film and tablets, a daily buprenorphine/naloxone formulation for opioid dependence. Sublocade accounts for the majority of Indivior’s revenues.

Indivior remains a leader in opioid use disorder treatment, with Sublocade increasingly driving growth. The product continues to gain traction through record patient starts, growing prescriber adoption, and a leading share of the U.S. long-acting injectable market. The company is also benefiting from a major restructuring program, supporting strong earnings and EBITDA growth. Additionally, the large and persistent opioid addiction market provides a favorable long-term growth opportunity.

However, Indivior's internal pipeline has suffered setbacks. In 2026, the company decided not to advance INDV-6001 into phase III development and also halted the internal development of INDV-2000 for opioid use disorder after disappointing phase II data. 

The stock of Indivior has risen 15.5% so far this year. The consensus estimate for 2026 earnings has risen from $3.33 per share to $4.05 per share over the past 60 days. The company has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. .

Price and Consensus: INDV

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals: Canada-based Aurinia Pharmaceuticals makes medicines to treat autoimmune, kidney and rare diseases. It presently markets Lupkynis (voclosporin), the first FDA-approved oral therapy for the treatment of adult patients with active lupus nephritis. The company recorded strong Lupkynis sales growth of 24% in the first quarter of 2026. Management expects total revenues to reach $315-$325 million in 2026, representing double-digit growth over 2025 levels. Lupkynis is emerging as a standard-of-care treatment for lupus nephritis.

Aurinia is also developing aritinercept, a potentially best-in-class dual inhibitor of BAFF and APRIL cytokines. It has the potential to treat a wide range of autoimmune diseases and is now in clinical development for three potential indications.

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The consensus estimate for 2026 earnings has been stable at 86 cents per share over the past 60 days. The stock has risen 16.7% so far this year.

Price and Consensus: AUPH

Altimmune: Gaithersburg, MD-based Altimmune is a late clinical-stage biotech focused on making therapies for liver diseases. Altimmune’s lead pipeline candidate, pemvidutide, a balanced 1:1 glucagon/GLP-1 dual receptor agonist, has a differentiated mechanism of action and “pipeline in a product” potential for treating liver diseases. It is being developed to treat serious liver diseases like metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (“MASH”), alcohol use disorder (“AUD”) and alcohol-associated liver disease (“ALD”), which have a significant unmet need. A phase III study for MASH patients with moderate-to-severe liver fibrosis is expected to start in 2026. For the AUD and ALD indications, phase II studies are ongoing. Multiple catalysts are expected in 2026, including phase III initiation for MASH and phase II top-line data for AUD. Its promising pipeline makes it an attractive licensing or takeover target.

The stock of Altimmune has declined 18.3% so far this year. The consensus estimate for 2026 loss has narrowed from $1.00 per share to 69 cents per share over the past 60 days. The company has a Zacks Rank #2.

Price and Consensus: ALT

Ironwood Pharmaceuticals: Cambridge, MA-based Ironwood Pharmaceuticals’ primary asset is Linzess, a leading treatment for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation. The drug continues to demonstrate healthy prescription demand growth and has treated millions of patients since launch. Management expects U.S. Linzess net sales to reach $1.125-$1.175 billion in 2026

Ironwood is also regularly getting approvals to expand Linzess' label, which is also supporting sales growth. Linzess is also well protected by patents and is not expected to face generic competition before March 2029.

Apraglutide, Ironwood's lead pipeline candidate for treating short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure (SBS-IF), represents a potentially game-changing growth opportunity for the company. Ironwood recently reached an agreement with the FDA on the design of a confirmatory phase III study required to support regulatory approval of apraglutide in SBS-IF. Management believes that, if successfully developed and approved, apraglutide has the potential to achieve blockbuster status.

The stock of Ironwood has risen 16% so far this year. The consensus estimate for 2026 earnings has risen from 88 cents per share to $1.04 per share over the past 60 days. The company has a Zacks Rank #2.

Price and Consensus: IRWD

Marker Therapeutics: This Houston, TX-based cancer biotech is making next-generation T cell therapies for hematological malignancies and solid tumors, leveraging its multi-antigen recognizing (MAR) T cell platform. Marker is rapidly progressing a phase I APOLLO study on lead candidate, MT-601, in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma. Updated data from the study reported last August demonstrated encouraging clinical activity with a 66% objective response rate in relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including durable complete responses, with a favorable safety profile across evaluated doses. A data update from the APOLLO study is expected in the second quarter of 2026. Clinical studies on MT-601 in pancreatic cancer are also expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026.

Marker is also conducting a phase I study on its off-the-shelf candidate, MT-401 and entered into a strategic manufacturing collaboration with Cellipont to scale up production of MT-601. The stock of Marker Therapeutics has declined 12.1% so far this year. The consensus estimate for 2026 loss per share has narrowed from $1.19 to $1.17 over the past 60 days. The company has a Zacks Rank #2. 

Price and Consensus: MRKR

A crypto whale allocated $8 million to Hyperliquid to open a 20x leveraged long position on Bitcoin.

According to monitoring by Onchain Lens, a crypto whale has allegedly created two new addresses and allocated $8 million to Hyperliquid via these addresses to open a 20x leveraged long position on 400 Bitcoin, valued at approximately $23.5 million.

7 minutes ago

A prominent law firm has launched an investigation into MicroStrategy and Michael Saylor, and may file a class-action lawsuit.

Rosen Law Firm has launched an investigation into Strategy Inc, led by Michael Saylor, over potential securities law violations, possibly tied to misleading disclosures about the firm’s Bitcoin investment strategy. The investigation notice encourages affected shareholders to consult with the firm’s team, as it is reviewing whether Strategy Inc issued materially misleading business information; such actions are common when seeking to initiate class-action lawsuits.

7 minutes ago

Story has been renamed the DATA Foundation, and its native IP token will be migrated to the new DATA token at a 1:1 ratio.

Story, a project focused on on-chain intellectual property infrastructure, has been renamed DATA Foundation, shifting its business focus to AI training data and launching the on-chain data registration and auditing platform Trace. Story’s native IP tokens will be migrated 1:1 to the new DATA tokens, with holders not required to take any action; specific timelines and guidelines will be announced later. DATA also announced deep integration with AI training data marketplace Kled, bringing over 1.5 billion user-contributed data entries onto the DATA network. Via Trace, each data contribution generates an on-chain receipt that records data source, authorization method, contributor consent, and payment details, supporting settlement to contributors in stablecoins or fiat currency.

7 minutes ago

Stablecoin apxUSD, backed by STRC, has depegged and dropped below $0.8.

According to market data, Apyx Finance’s stablecoin apxUSD, backed by STRC, has depegged and is now trading at $0.7804. A similar depegging incident occurred with apxUSD on June 4.

7 minutes ago

Jiang Zhuoer: Expects Strategy to reduce its coin purchases, with almost no risk of default.

Jiang Zhuoer, founder of Leibit Mining Pool (B.TOP), commented on STRC hitting an all-time low tonight, noting that Strategy’s preferred stock STRC has significantly de-pegged, reflecting U.S. stock market investors’ panic over Bitcoin (BTC). He stated, “Strategy’s BTC purchases are expected to drop sharply or even halt entirely in the coming months, with funds reserved to pay STRC dividends. I also emphasize again not to expect a major blowup from MSTR at the bear market bottom. STRC is preferred stock, not a bond—only dividends need to be paid, and principal does not require repayment. MSTR’s debt ratio is only 10%, so unless the BTC bear market lasts a decade, MSTR faces no risk of a blowup.”

7 minutes ago

Arkham: Strategy is not legally required to prioritize paying STRC dividends, so there is no risk of mandatory liquidation.

After the U.S. stock market opened tonight, STRC briefly dropped to $73 and is now trading at $76.2, 25% below its $100 par value. In response to market fears that it could be the "next LUNA", Arkham’s analysis states that STRC is a perpetual preferred stock with an 11.5% dividend yield, requiring annual dividend payments of approximately $1.2 billion. Strategy holds $1.4 billion in reserves, but is not legally obligated to prioritize dividend payments. However, Arkham also points out that the stock price decline reflects market concerns about Saylor’s ability to sustain dividend payments and raise capital. This will not directly bring down the company, but may negatively impact investor confidence and financing in the long run.

7 minutes ago

PANews June 25 news, according to The Wall Street Journal, analysis of public blockchain data shows that Iranian entities conducted over $3.84 billion in transactions through the cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx. The investigation found that suspicious transactions earlier this year linked to two digital wallets controlled by Iran's central bank could be traced back to $1.5 billion stolen by North Korean hackers from Bybit. After the funds arrived at the Iranian wallets, they passed through a complex maze of transactions before ultimately flowing to CoinEx — an exchange that has become a key channel for Iran to use cryptocurrency to evade broad U.S. economic sanctions.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran-linked entities moved more than $3.84 billion through crypto exchange CoinEx since 2019. 

Summary

CoinEx denied Iran government ties after WSJ linked Iran-related wallets to $3.84b in transactions. The exchange said on-chain fund flows do not prove knowledge, support, or sanctions involvement. CoinEx said it tightened Iran-related reviews, geo-fencing, sanctions screening, and transaction monitoring controls. The report cited TRM Labs and public on-chain data. It said CoinEx became one of the main crypto routes allegedly used to move funds outside U.S. sanctions.

The report said investigators found unusual activity from two wallets controlled by the Central Bank of Iran earlier this year. The WSJ also said those funds had links to assets stolen from Bybit by North Korean hackers. CoinEx has not become subject to a new U.S. action in the report, but the claims place the exchange under fresh review.

CoinEx later rejected the WSJ report, saying it had “never established any commercial relationship” with Iranian government-related entities, Iranian domestic exchanges, the Revolutionary Guard, or sanctioned parties.

In its official response, CoinEx said on-chain fund flows through a platform do not prove that the exchange knew about, supported, or took part in the activity, as reported. The exchange also said it had strengthened Iran-related risk reviews, geo-fencing, sanctions screening, and transaction monitoring.

Central bank wallets enter the trail According to the WSJ, investigators traced the flow backward from the two Iranian central bank wallets. The trail then pointed to funds tied to the Bybit hack, one of the largest thefts in crypto history. The report said the money later moved through many transactions before reaching CoinEx.

The FBI previously blamed North Korean actors for the Bybit theft, which involved about $1.5 billion in virtual assets. U.S. officials said the hackers were converting stolen assets into Bitcoin and other tokens across many wallets. That pattern made the CoinEx report part of a wider debate over exchange screening and sanctions controls.

Sanctions pressure grows around crypto As crypto.news reported, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned four Iranian crypto exchanges, including Nobitex, under its Economic Fury campaign. The agency accused the platforms of helping sanctioned entities enter the digital asset market. Chainalysis also said Nobitex handled about half of Iran’s crypto trading activity.

In our last update, crypto.news examined how U.S. officials said they had seized nearly $1 billion in Iran-linked crypto. That action followed a $344 million USDT freeze across two Tron wallets tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Treasury said it would keep tracking money that Tehran tries to move through crypto and banks.

Bybit link widens laundering concern As previously reported, Bybit-related laundering also moved through decentralized routes after the 2025 hack. THORChain saw almost $3 billion in trading volume from swaps tied to stolen Bybit assets, according to on-chain tracking cited at the time. The activity showed how stolen funds can move from one venue to another before cash-out attempts.

The CoinEx report adds another layer because it names a centralized exchange, not only mixers or decentralized protocols. Centralized platforms usually run customer checks and transaction screening, but blockchain data can still show funds moving through accounts and wallets. Regulators may now review whether existing controls caught the alleged Iran-linked activity.

Compliance questions move back to exchanges The WSJ report arrives as U.S. officials continue to target crypto flows tied to sanctioned states. Iran remains cut off from many dollar channels, while digital assets offer a route for cross-border transfers. Retail users also rely on crypto as the rial weakens, which can make clean and flagged flows harder to separate.

For CoinEx, the report creates a reputational test and may draw questions from compliance teams, banks, and regulators. For the wider market, the case shows why on-chain tracing now sits at the center of sanctions enforcement. The next issue is whether authorities act on the data or ask exchanges to tighten screening further.

Key Highlights Table of Contents

Key HighlightsHow CoinEx Displaced Binance as Iran’s Primary International GatewayIranian Central Bank’s Multi-Chain Money Laundering OperationRegulatory Action Triggers Transaction Pattern Changes Blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs identified more than $3.84 billion in cryptocurrency transactions flowing between CoinEx and Iranian entities under sanctions spanning a seven-year period By 2024, CoinEx displaced Binance to become the largest foreign counterparty for Nobitex, Iran’s dominant domestic exchange The Central Bank of Iran laundered $67 million through CoinEx using sophisticated multi-blockchain obfuscation techniques The exchange maintained direct blockchain connections to wallets associated with IRGC, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad Following June 2, 2026 OFAC sanctions against four major Iranian platforms, CoinEx rotated its hot wallet infrastructure and transaction volumes plummeted to under $150,000 A comprehensive investigation by blockchain intelligence provider TRM Labs has revealed that CoinEx, the Seychelles-registered cryptocurrency exchange established in 2017 by Haipo Yang, a former Tencent software engineer, facilitated over $3.84 billion in digital asset transfers connected to Iranian organizations currently under international sanctions.

🚨MASSIVE: IRAN FUNNELED $3.8 BILLION VIA CRYPTO EXCHANGE COINEX TO EVADE US SANCTIONS

WSJ investigation found more than $3.84 BILLION flowed through CoinEx from Iranian users, with blockchain analysis linking transactions to entities tied to the IRGC and Iran's Central Bank. pic.twitter.com/fPU80TXuMh

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) June 25, 2026

Despite its international registration, the platform developed substantial operational ties to Iran across multiple years. According to former personnel, CoinEx deployed business development representatives within Iranian borders to actively recruit local traders, though the exchange officially disputes these allegations.

How CoinEx Displaced Binance as Iran’s Primary International Gateway Historically, Binance served as the predominant international platform for Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. This dynamic shifted dramatically around 2022, following Binance’s confrontation with US regulatory authorities over violations that included servicing Iranian customers.

CoinEx emerged as Binance’s replacement by 2024. Throughout 2025, over $763 million in cryptocurrency moved between CoinEx and Nobitex, establishing CoinEx’s volume at approximately nine times that of the second-largest identified foreign exchange partner for Nobitex.

Beginning in 2018, approximately $2.7 billion transferred between these two platforms through roughly 6.2 million separate transactions — representing a daily average of $1 million in transaction flow.

Analysis shows Nobitex transferred approximately $360 million more to CoinEx than it received in return, indicating a net outflow pattern where Iranian cryptocurrency holders were accessing international liquidity and markets.

Iranian Central Bank’s Multi-Chain Money Laundering Operation According to TRM Labs’ forensic analysis, approximately $67 million connected to Iran’s Central Bank entered CoinEx between June 2025 and June 2026. These funds traveled through an elaborate obfuscation network utilizing both Tron and Ethereum networks, incorporating decentralized finance applications and cross-chain bridge protocols before ultimately arriving at CoinEx wallets.

The operation operated under the National Iranian Exchange’s supervision through a program internally designated as “National–Tether.” Intelligence suggests CoinEx also supplied transaction fee funding that facilitated portions of this laundering infrastructure.

Additional investigation earlier this year established connections between certain Central Bank wallets and $1.5 billion in stolen assets from the Bybit exchange breach attributed to North Korean state-sponsored hackers.

TRM’s analysis extended beyond the Central Bank to identify CoinEx transactions with over 60 distinct Iranian cryptocurrency platforms, including Wallex, Ramzinex, BitPin, and numerous smaller operators. Remarkably, each major Iranian exchange routed between 5–10% of its aggregate volume through CoinEx — a uniformity that TRM analysts interpret as evidence of systematic coordination rather than organic market selection.

Direct blockchain evidence links CoinEx to wallets controlled by the IRGC ($6 million in exposure), Palestinian Islamic Jihad ($374,000), and Hezbollah-affiliated addresses.

Regulatory Action Triggers Transaction Pattern Changes The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on June 2, 2026, targeting four prominent Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges: Nobitex, BitPin, Wallex, and Ramzinex. These platforms collectively represented approximately 78% of Iran’s estimated $9.9 billion cryptocurrency trading volume during 2025.

Following these designations, CoinEx rotated its hot wallet infrastructure. Transaction volumes between CoinEx and Iranian platforms collapsed to less than $150,000.

Pre-sanctions data showed average transaction sizes between CoinEx and Nobitex around $435. Following geopolitical tensions escalating between the United States, Iran, and Israel in late February 2026, average transaction sizes increased to $2,110, with larger consolidated transfers representing an expanding proportion of overall activity.

Yang announced CoinEx would halt acceptance of new Iranian registrations and implement measures to phase out existing Iranian accounts. The platform simultaneously deployed IP-based blocking for Iranian addresses. CoinEx maintains it did not knowingly process transactions for sanctioned organizations.

Wallets with identifiable links to sanctioned Iranian entities have moved over $3.84 billion through cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx since 2019, making it one of the main channels used to bypass US economic sanctions, according to blockchain analytics company TRM Labs.

About 60 Iranian platforms were tied to the funds, with $2.7 billion of this flowing between CoinEx and Nobitex, Iran’s largest domestic cryptocurrency exchange, at an average rate of about $1 million per day since 2018, wrote TRM Labs in a Wednesday report.

By 2024, CoinEx was Nobitex’s largest external counterpart, nearly nine times that of the next-largest exchange, a pattern that TRM Labs called “inconsistent with independent market behaviour.”

The report comes three weeks after the US Treasury sanctioned four Iranian crypto exchanges as part of its “Economic Fury” campaign. Days before the sanctions, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Treasury had seized $1 billion in crypto from Iranian exchanges and wallets since the start of the war.

In a statement published Thursday on X, CoinEx denied having any commercial relationship with the Iranian government or domestic Iranian exchanges and said it has never provided funding channels to sanctioned parties. The exchange also disputed TRM Labs’ interpretation of blockchain data, saying onchain fund flows do not demonstrate a platform's knowledge of or participation in illicit activity.

Iranian exchanges: CoinEx exposure & share volume, 2025. Source: TRM Labs

Top Iranian exchanges route up to 10% of volume through CoinExMost of the major Iranian domestic exchanges route about 5% to 10% of their trading volume through CoinEx, indicating a “coordinated arrangement rather than organic adoption,” according to TRM Labs.

CoinEx’s share of illicit transaction volume is nearly 8%, above the 0.3% threshold found at other compliant exchanges. 

CoinEx-affiliated mining pool ViaBTC accounted for another $154 million in traced exposure to Nobitex through mining payouts and supplied emergency liquidity to Nobitex following Predatory Sparrow’s $90 million hack in June 2025.

Cointelegraph contacted ViaBTC for comment on TRM Labs' findings but had not received a response by publication.

Nobitex was at the center of Iran's “digital dollar pipeline” and handled about 50% of the country’s crypto trading volume, according to a June 2 report by blockchain forensics platform Chainalysis.

In May, Nobitex was reportedly linked to members of a powerful family with ties to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In January, the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned UK-registered Zedcex and Zedxion for being used as front companies for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Magazine: Inside the Iranian Bitcoin mining industry

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

Updated Jun 25, 2026, 11:03 a.m. Published Jun 25, 2026, 10:56 a.m.

2 min read

(Tudoran Andrei/Shutterstock)Summary

TRM Labs said it traced over $3.84 million in flows between CoinEx and sanctioned Iranian crypto entities over a period of seven years.TRM said CoinEX handled around $2.7 billion in transfers with Nobitex, Iran's largest crypto exchange.CoinEx denied having any commercial relationship with Iranian exchanges or government entities, saying it has begun exiting Iran-related business.Blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs said CoinEx served as a gateway for the crypto sector in Iran, having traced more than $3.84 billion in flows between the exchange and sanctioned Iranian entities in the last seven years.

TRM Labs said CoinEx became the single biggest trading partner of Iran's largest crypto exchange Nobitex, which accounted for around $2.7 billion of the flows, according to a report published Wednesday.

CoinEx had direct transaction exposure with more than 60 Iranian crypto platforms, according to TRM Labs' analysis, which argued that this patterns suggested a coordinated relationship rather than organic market activity.

TRM Labs identified CoinEx exposure to several terrorist-linked entities, such as $6 million in transactions involving wallets associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and $374,000 of exposure associated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned an array of Iranian crypto exchanges as part of its campaign against the country's government at the start of this month, including Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin and Ramzinex, all of which are cited in TRM Labs' report.

Seychelles-registered CoinEx rejected the report's findings, saying it has "never established any commercial relationship with Iranian government-related entities, Iranian domestic exchanges," or "provided any form of active assistance to Iranian government agencies, Revolutionary Guard-related entities, or other sanctioned parties."

"Blockchain transactions are open, cross-platform, and traceable by nature. The fact that funds have passed through a platform onchain does not mean that the platform was aware of, supported, or participated in the related fund activity," CoinEx said in a statement on Thursday. "Data from different third-party blockchain analytics platforms varies significantly, and data from any single platform should not be treated as definitive."

CoinEx added that it began a review and exit process from all Iran-related exposure following the sanctioning of Iranian exchange by the U.S.

AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.

12345678910

A new report published by The Wall Street Journal has brought cryptocurrency exchange CoinEx back into focus over sanctions compliance concerns. According to the findings, a total of $3.84 billion in crypto assets connected to Iranian individuals and entities has moved through CoinEx since 2019. The analysis is based on publicly available blockchain data and investigations by TRM Labs.

Which transactions are under scrutiny?The report notes that U.S. authorities have not issued any formal accusations against CoinEx. However, the data presented may draw increased attention from regulators and compliance teams monitoring transactions potentially linked to sanctioned actors. CoinEx operates as a centralized exchange where users can buy and sell cryptocurrencies.

Researchers conducting the review have tracked transactions connected to two wallets allegedly controlled by Iran’s central bank earlier this year. Findings claim that funds moving through these wallets are tied to assets stolen in a $1.5 billion hack targeting Bybit.

The report highlights that the movements of two Iran-linked wallets intersect with assets stolen in the Bybit incident, and after passing through a web of wallets, these funds have been traced to CoinEx.

U.S. officials have previously attributed the Bybit hack to North Korean-linked hackers. The latest report states that the stolen assets traveled through numerous wallets and transaction layers. It also underscores how blockchain tracking methods are playing an increasingly critical role in unraveling such cross-border financial flows.

Glossary: TRM Labs is an analytics firm specializing in tracking illicit transactions and sanctions risks by analyzing blockchain data. On chain monitoring refers to the technical tracking of transactions via publicly accessible blockchain records.

Focus on sanctions enforcement grows in the crypto sectorAllegations against CoinEx have surfaced as the U.S. ramps up pressure on crypto platforms associated with sanctioned regions. This year, the U.S. Treasury’s Economic Fury campaign imposed sanctions on four Iran-based exchanges, including Nobitex. Authorities accused these platforms of enabling sanctioned individuals and organizations to access digital asset markets.

Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis previously estimated that Nobitex accounted for about half of crypto transaction volume in Iran. In a separate development, U.S. authorities announced the seizure of nearly $1 billion in Iran-linked crypto assets. Additionally, $344 million worth of USDT with ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard was frozen.

SubjectDisclosed DataAmount moved through CoinEx$3.84 billionAssets stolen in Bybit hack$1.5 billionSeized Iran-linked crypto assetsAbout $1 billionFrozen USDT$344 millionCompliance pressure rises for centralized exchangesThe latest revelations could lead to greater scrutiny and enforcement on centralized crypto exchanges regarding transaction monitoring and sanctions screening. These platforms are expected to perform customer identity checks and flag suspicious activity. Still, blockchain data reveal how funds can move across multiple wallets and platforms before reaching an exchange.

The report also points to concerns about money laundering related to the Bybit hack. Earlier blockchain tracing indicated that billions of dollars in stolen assets had passed through decentralized platforms like THORChain.

As expectations rise for centralized exchanges to enhance sanctions screening and transactional oversight, blockchain analyses show that funds often navigate through layered structures before reaching a platform.

For the crypto industry, this investigation signals the growing importance of blockchain intelligence in sanctions enforcement. It remains unclear whether regulators will take further action specifically against CoinEx in light of these findings.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.

Source: Binance EN

This is a general announcement. Products and services referred to here may not be available in your region. Fellow Binancians, Starting at approximately 2026-06-30 07:00 (UTC), Binance will suspend the deposits and withdrawals of token(s) on the Viction (VIC) network to support its network upgrade and hard fork to ensure the best user experience. The network upgrade and hard fork will take place at the block height of 110,712,671, or approximately at 2026-06-30 08:00 (UTC). Please note: The trading of token(s) on the aforementioned network will not be impacted.Binance will handle all technical requirements involved for all users.Deposits and withdrawals for token(s) on the aforementioned network will be reopened once the upgraded network is deemed to be stable. No further announcement will be posted.There may be discrepancies between this original content in English and any translated versions. Please refer to the original English version for the most accurate information, in case any discrepancies arise. For more information, please refer to the announcement from the project team. Thank you for your support! Binance Team 2026-06-25

Key Takeaways Petrobras and Finep will fund a R$150 million program to develop industrial-scale electrolyzer technology.PBR-backed project requires industry-research consortia and at least 50% domestic equipment value.Petrobras says the initiative supports Brazil's hydrogen value chain and clean-energy competitiveness. Petrobras (PBR - Free Report) has partnered with Finep to launch a R$150 million program aimed at accelerating the development of domestic electrolyzer technology and strengthening Brazil’s position in the low-carbon hydrogen economy, according to chemanalyst. The initiative will support the creation of industrial-scale electrolyzers designed to produce clean hydrogen, which is increasingly viewed as a critical input for reducing emissions in energy-intensive industries.

During the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two organizations, the declaration was made at Petrobras’ headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. The event underscored the strategic importance of hydrogen within Brazil’s industrial and environmental agenda, bringing together government officials, industry leaders and innovation stakeholders focused on advancing sustainable development.

Closing Brazil’s Electrolyzer Technology GapDespite its strong renewable energy base, Brazil’s electrolyzer manufacturing sector remains at an early stage of development. Only a small number of companies operate in this space and none currently produce electrolyzer stacks, the central component responsible for hydrogen generation through water electrolysis.

This technological gap has limited the development of a fully integrated domestic hydrogen value chain. The new Petrobras-Finep initiative is intended to address this challenge by encouraging local development of advanced electrolyzer systems. The goal is to strengthen domestic expertise, reduce dependence on imported technologies and improve Brazil’s competitiveness in the global clean-energy market.

Collaborative Structure and Innovation RequirementsThe program will be executed through a public call for proposals targeting a single large-scale strategic project. Selected participants must form collaborative consortia that combine industrial capabilities with scientific research, including at least three technology-focused companies and one Science and Technology Institution.

Projects may build on existing technological foundations but must demonstrate clear advancements over current international electrolyzer systems. Improvements in efficiency, performance or cost-effectiveness will be key evaluation criteria. In addition, at least 50% of the value of the equipment developed must originate domestically, reinforcing Brazil’s industrial base.

Full Funding for End-to-End DevelopmentThe initiative will be financed with R$150 million in non-repayable funding, split equally between Petrobras and Finep, with additional contributions expected from participating companies.

The selected project will cover the full development cycle, including engineering design, component development, system integration, testing and the construction of a pre-commercial prototype. This end-to-end structure is intended to ensure that laboratory innovations progress toward real-world industrial applications.

Expanding Demand for Low-Carbon HydrogenHydrogen produced via electrolysis is gaining momentum as industries seek cleaner alternatives to fossil-fuel-based production methods. When powered by renewable electricity, it offers a significantly lower-carbon pathway for hydrogen generation.

In the steel industry, hydrogen can replace carbon-intensive inputs used in production processes, helping reduce emissions. The refining sector, which relies heavily on hydrogen for operational processes, stands to benefit from cleaner supply options without major disruptions. Chemical producers, which use hydrogen as a key feedstock for products such as ammonia and methanol, also represent a major area of demand for low-carbon hydrogen solutions.

Strengthening Brazil’s Innovation EcosystemBeyond its industrial goals, the initiative is expected to strengthen Brazil’s broader innovation ecosystem. By requiring collaboration between companies and research institutions, it promotes knowledge transfer and encourages the commercialization of scientific research.

It is also expected to increase demand for highly skilled professionals in areas such as advanced engineering, materials science, automation, energy systems and industrial design, contributing to the development of a more advanced industrial workforce.

Long-Term Impact on the Chemical SectorThe development of domestic electrolyzer technology could have important implications for Brazil’s chemical industry. As production costs decline and technology matures, low-carbon hydrogen may become more widely available for industrial use.

This could improve the economics of sustainable chemical production, reduce emissions across supply chains and encourage investment in new facilities designed around cleaner feedstocks such as hydrogen-based processes.

Alignment With Brazil’s Energy Transition StrategyThe initiative aligns with broader national efforts to expand industrial capabilities and accelerate the energy transition. Petrobras has committed approximately $4 billion to research, development and innovation under its 2026-2030 business plan, while Finep has invested more than R$12.5 billion in green transition projects between 2023 and 2025.

These investments reflect a long-term strategy focused on building domestic technological capacity and positioning Brazil as a competitive player in emerging clean-energy markets.

ConclusionOverall, the R$150 million Petrobras-Finep electrolyzer program represents a significant step toward closing key technological gaps in Brazil’s hydrogen sector. By fostering collaboration, supporting domestic manufacturing and advancing industrial-scale innovation, the initiative positions the country to play a more active role in the global low-carbon hydrogen value chain while laying the foundation for a more competitive and sustainable industrial future.

PBR's Zacks Rank & Key PicksCurrently, PBR has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Investors interested in the energy sector might look at some better-ranked stocks like Delek US Holdings (DK - Free Report) and Crescent Energy Company (CRGY - Free Report) , each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and Phillips 66 (PSX - Free Report) , carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Delek US is valued at $2.66 billion. It is a U.S.-based downstream energy company that focuses on refining crude oil and distributing petroleum products. Headquartered in Brentwood, TN, Delek US Holdings operates through two main segments: refining and logistics.

Crescent Energy Company is valued at $3.47 billion. It is an independent U.S. energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. Crescent Energy operates primarily in the Eagle Ford, Permian and Uinta basins.

Phillips 66 is valued at $68.3 billion. It is a diversified energy company that refines crude oil, markets petroleum products, and operates midstream, chemicals, and renewable fuels businesses. Phillips 66 operates across the United States and internationally.

Table of contents

Alchemy Pay, a well-known payment gateway connecting crypto and fiat currencies, has recently achieved another regulatory milestone. In this respect, Alchemy Pay has officially received a Money Transmitter License from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation of the U.S. state of Illinois. As Alchemy Pay revealed in its official press release, the development grows its coverage, letting it process crypto-to-fiat and fiat-to-crypto transfers for the consumers in the respective state. Hence, this regulatory approval increases Alchemy Pay’s cumulative MTL coverage to 18 U.S. states.

🔥#AlchemyPay has secured a Money Transmitter License (MTL) in the State of Illinois, enhancing Alchemy Pay’s ability to facilitate compliant fiat-to-crypto and crypto-to-fiat transactions, expand its payment services, and strengthen its market presence across the United States.… pic.twitter.com/3hbqhSl4pw

— Alchemy Pay|$ACH: Fiat-Crypto Payment Gateway (@AlchemyPay) June 24, 2026 Alchemy Pay Gets Money Transmitter License Authorization for Regulated Virtual Currency Services Getting the Illinois Money Transmitter License (MTL) authorization enables money transmission, virtual currency-related services, and electronic funds transactions for Alchemy Pay. Additionally, the partners and users can verify the platform’s new license through the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System Consumer Access portal. The development minimizes barriers that the traders, fintech apps, and merchants face. At the same time, the move also aligns the firm with stringent compliance benchmarks in the U.S. for stablecoins and digital assets.

Keeping this in view, Alchemy Pay is paying significant attention to regulatory clarity while expanding its services across notable markets. So, this license approval backs the platform’s wider strategy beyond simple payments. Additionally, the firm referred to the plans of issuing regulated stablecoin products in the future. It is also advancing its cutting-edge Alchemy Chain for this purpose.

Particularly, Alchemy Chain aims to connect conventional payment rails, financial institutions, and stablecoin in an inclusive compliant ecosystem. The integration of compliance into the infrastructure allows the project to establish a scalable settlement framework for merchants and enterprises. The target is to use stablecoins as worldwide settlement rails while also complying with oversight and licensing requirements.

Expanding Compliance Wins to Strengthen Regulated Services Worldwide While reflecting on the development, Alchemy Pay’s CMO, Ailona Tsik, mentioned that this regulatory landmark is crucial for the company and financial innovation. Previously, Alchemy Pay has obtained Electronic Financial Business registration and Digital Currency Exchange Provider registration in South Africa and Australia. The current achievement further expands the platform’s compliance wins. Ultimately, the development underscores Alchemy Pay’s commitment to broadening regulated footprint with a state-by-state approach.

AUTHOR

Umair Younas is a cryptocurrency-related content writer linked with this work since 2019. Here, at Blockchainreporter, he serves as a news and article writer. He is a crypto, blockchain, NFTs, DeFi, and FinTech enthusiast. He has strong command over writing authentic reviews about brokers and exchanges and he has collaborated with our education team to write educational content as well. He has a dream to raise awareness among people about digital currencies. His works are well-researched and brimmed with information hence they provide fresh insights. Stay tuned to his posts if you want to stay up-to-date with the crypto-verse.